Page 168 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

190 *
A SHIWAN ‘CAT’ NIGHT-LIGHT
Mid Qing Dynasty
The feline expertly moulded crouching with its paws
tucked beneath its round body, the head turned to
its right with ears pricked and eyes alert, the ridge
of the back curving and terminating with a long tail
sweeping across its right back haunch, covered
in a lustrous blue and purple glaze thinning to a
mushroom-grey tone at the extremities.
18.5cm (7 1/4in) wide.
£6,000 - 8,000
CNY47,000 - 63,000
清中期 石灣窯貓形燈罩

Shiwan ware was produced in the Shiwanzhen,
Guangdong. Cat nightlights were made from the
late Ming period. According to Chinese lore, the
gods appointed cats to oversee life after the world
was created. Cats preferred instead to sleep in
sunbeams and play with falling cherry blossoms.
The management of earthly duties was thus
transferred to humans, and cats have since indulged
themselves in the more relaxing aspects of life. Many
other myths surround the cat in Chinese culture.
Some insist that cats can see spirits in the dark,
which may explain the prevalence of cat-shaped
night-lights during the latter part of the Ming dynasty.

Compare with a related blue and white catlight, 18th
191 † or 19th century, from the Museum of San Francisco,
A GREEN-GLAZED ‘GOURD’ WATER DROPPER CA, acc.no.L2018.0601.006. For a Ming dynasty
prototype, see a blue and white catlight recovered
18th century
The vessel expertly potted with rounded body with from the Hatcher wreck, circa 1643, in the British
small aperture narrowing at the tip to a hollow stem, Museum, London (acc.no.BM 1984.0303.11).
applied with further leafy stems and tendrils issuing
further two smaller gourds, all supported on a short
foot and covered in a bright-green glaze.
20.3cm (8in) long.

£2,000 - 3,000
CNY16,000 - 24,000

十八世紀 綠釉葫蘆型水滴

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
166 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.